Halloween Dare
by Courage of Awesome
Summary: A Halloween dare gone wrong? Or gone right? Xenia was dared to enter not only the dare, but the house that had everyone scared. She'll find that there's more to it that meets the eye. And who is this shadowy figure? Just what had she gotten herself into? AU LinkxOC No longer a one shot thanks to everyone's eagerness for multi-chapters.
1. Chapter 1

**This is just a little Halloween present for all my loyal fans out there. I hope you guys enjoy it! ^.^**

**By the way, no werewolves, but there are vampires and Poes. I wanted to do werewolves because I LOVE them, but my friend was like do something different! Ha! However, these vampires do not sparkle, thank awesomeness!**

**I do not own Zelda! I can't believe I have to keep saying this!**

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The cold autumn air chilled my bones, making me tremble. The ends of my robes billowed around me as I stared up at the ominous structure. Lightning suddenly cracked, making me jump as thunder rumbled soon after. I could hear laughter from behind me.

"Look at her! She's shaking like a leaf! I always knew she was a wuss!" a classmate of mine, Mido, laughed. His red hair shined like a beacon in the dark. I found myself thinking the little devil horns peaking out suited him.

"S-Shut up, M-Mido!" I stammered. "I-I can do t-this!" I didn't really believe that. I'd be lucky if I could survive the night.

Mido leaned in close to my face and leered. "Well then, prove it, Xenia. Go into the old Poe Mansion."

I shivered at the mere mention of the name. Rumor was that a wealthy family was brutally murdered there and their vengeful spirits lingered on as Poes. As of now, I was being dared to enter the forsaken mansion and I don't think my white witch costume would actually give me powers.

Taking in a deep breath, I took a step back and away from Mido. "I will do it!" I announced.

"Yeah right!" one of Mido's cronies spat. "You're saying that to stall for time!" He adjusted the head to his Deku Baba costume.

She's just going to chicken out. We should just go already!" the other one exclaimed, ripping off his Keese mask.

Mido held out his hands. He silenced the two, stopping them from leaving. "Hold up, guys," he said. "How about we make a compromise with Xenia? What if we went in with her?"

The question was very out of character for Mido, so I was cautious. His cronies nodded, and the next thing I knew, we were taking our first steps into the old mansion. It was so creepy! The floorboards were cracked and split and they creaked when they were stepped on. A large chandelier hung in the center of the foyer, covered in webs and dust. Some of the candles lay on the floor under it. The wall sconces were in the same state.

I shivered and coughed as a sudden burst of air swept through the room, stirring up the dust. Mido and his gang coughed right alongside me. "What was that?!" one of them hacked.

"A window down the hall must be open," another answered.

While they were thinking somewhat logically, I was quaking in fear. Every nerve in my body was on fire, and I was on high-alert. It was almost too painful to even be in the house. I may not have any actual witch powers, but my family was known for spiritual powers. Mine were useless, however, due to the fact my body was so sensitive. And right now, it felt like my body was burning in the flames of Hell. There was supernatural activity at work here.

The pain subsided as quickly as it came. I let go of my head, not even realizing I had been holding it, and looked up. Mido and his gang were gone! They had ventured further into the house without me! "Fine," I muttered. "They can go and just get lost without me." I moved to exit the house, but I stopped. I couldn't just leave them here. Especially not when a monster might be here.

As I turned away from the door, it slammed shut suddenly and a bang echoed throughout the room. I whipped around and yanked on the door and pounded on the wood. After a few minutes, I stopped and slumped against the door. I couldn't leave now, not even if I wanted to.

Out of nowhere, a loud scream erupted from somewhere in the mansion, making me jump. It sounded male. It must have been Mido or someone from his gang. I leapt to my feet and walked slowly down the hall. I needed to find the others fast!

After minutes of walking, I wandered into what was probably once a library or a study. Hundreds of books were packed into many shelves that lined the walls. Some were even stacked on each other on the floor and the desk. And everything was covered in dust and webs.

I sighed. This would have been my favorite room… if this place wasn't haunted.

I walked around the room, taking everything into account. Towards the back of the room, I found a large portrait hanging on the wall. It was a family portrait. There were four women and two men in the painting. The two men looked almost identical with their bushy, red mustaches and their black robes. They each held a conductor's baton in their hands. The women couldn't have looked more different. One wore green, another wore blue, the third wore red, and the last one wore a lavish purple. There was a plaque showing their names from left to right.

"Flat, Beth, Joelle, Amy, Meg, and Sharp," I read. This must have been the family that lived here. The siblings who were murdered. A lump formed in my throat as I noticed how much colder the room had gotten. The marks on my right arm, indicating my spiritual abilities, started to burn. I braced myself, slamming my eyes shut.

It seemed like minutes and nothing had happened. I opened my eyes, but as soon as I did, I felt something pool around my sandal-clad feet. I looked down and shrieked at the sight of a red liquid. Was this… it was… it was blood! I felt queasy at the thought of standing in it. I looked everywhere in rapid movements and saw more and more blood oozing from the walls. It came mainly from the eyes and the mouths of the people in the portrait.

I climbed up on the desk in the room, hoping to stay out of the blood for as long as I could. It continued to rise, forcing me to leap on top of a bookcase and take refuge there. I watched in horror as the blood filled the room. It wouldn't be long now.

Then it happened. The blood suddenly shot up towards the ceiling, flooding the room. I barely had enough time to suck in my breath. The amount of blood in the room put an enormous amount of pressure on my body, threatening to crush my lungs. But I was still alive and I was determined to stay that way.

I forced my amber eyes to open and peer through the thick liquid. I could just barely see the door to the room. Its airtight seal prevented the liquid from draining out the room.

I began to swim towards the door, my muscles straining as my arms and legs pumped through the thick liquid. Arriving at the door, I grabbed the knob and turned it. It wouldn't budge! I pushed on the door with all my might, faintly hearing the groans of the wood. _Just a little more_, I thought frantically, my lungs screaming for air.

Finally, the door gave way, a tidal wave spilling through. I landed on the floor in a heap, coughing wildly. My black tresses clung to my head, crimson dripping off the tips.

I turned my gaze to the room I had just escaped from, my eyes widening at the site of a dry room. It was like the bloody flood had never happened at all, but my red-stained costume said otherwise. What was going on? Was this the work of ghosts, Poes perhaps?

Standing up on wobbly legs, I slowly walked down the hall. I was terrified of what was to come. My heart was pounding furiously in my chest and it felt like it would burst. My breath came out in short pants, heavy and labored. The floorboards creaked under me as I walked.

As I walked, I noticed a bright light at the end of the corridor. _Should I go towards it?_ I wondered. Gripping my marked arm tightly, I made my way towards the light. Silently, I prayed to the goddesses that I wouldn't die for following this light.

I followed the light to a set of double doors. Where had the light gone? Had it gone through the door? My gaze locked with the handles of the door. I sucked in a breath, filling my lungs with air, and opened the door.

A scream ripped through the air as I stepped through the threshold, only it wasn't from me. A ghostly woman, dressed in purple, soared by, giggling as she chased a blue blur. The blue blur was another woman. I gasped suddenly, having recognized them from the portrait. It was Meg and Beth! The two ghostly sisters looked at me and snickered. Raising a transparent hand, the purple one, Meg, released a terrible shriek. As she did so, two other ghosts, one in red and on in green, came forth. I assumed these two were Amy and Joelle.

I hissed as my marks burned insanely hot. It hurt to be this close to the Poes. I screamed as a chair suddenly launched itself at me. Ducking at the last minute, I clenched my right forearm as I dodged the bombardment of furniture. And since I was in a grand dining room, there was a lot to avoid.

My feet were suddenly swept out from under me as a chair hit me in the back of the knees, forcing me to sit down in said chair. The wood seemed to come alive as the armrests warped and wrapped around my wrists and it was the same with my ankles.

The chair levitated from the powers of the Poe sisters, and I screamed, both from the fear and the intense pain racing through me, mostly radiating from the same arm._ Why was I even born with this thing?! _my mind screamed. I watched, terrified, as the Poe sisters all lifted their hands up, summoning eerie torches with unnatural flames. A strange energy gathered between them before it leapt out towards me. Was this it? Was this the end? I clenched my eyes shut, expecting the absolute worse.

I waited… and waited… and waited. Feeling nothing, I opened my eyes and saw the backs of two more Poes. Flat and Sharp, I presumed. They had blocked the strange energy and dispersed it with a wave of their batons. The shorter of the two, Sharp, floated over to the sisters and began scolding them. He weaved his curly, red hair with his baton as he shouted in a ghostly language. Flat, on the other hand, broke my bonds and slowly set the chair down. I nodded at him before taking off, heading out of the room, taking what happened surprisingly well.

I ran for what seemed like hours when in reality, it had been about five minutes. I had endured the horrors of this house for a little more than two hours now. How much more did I have to go through? To make matters even worse, I still hadn't found Mido and his friends. I didn't even find their corpses like I had honestly expected to. If he had truly died, where would I even find his corpse and in what state?

Unexpectedly, I stopped. I felt my head turning to look down a different corridor. There, I faintly saw a shadowy figure turn a corner. Should I follow? Was it Mido? Me feet were already moving before my brain had even registered what happened.

I rounded the same corner the figure had and came face to face with a cracked door. I really hoped nothing was behind it. I really, truly did. I didn't think my heart could take it if there was something else.

Gripping the knob, I turned it and eased the door open. Behind it was a set of stairs, no doubt leading up into the attic. I gulped and started my ascent. Each step groaned at my weight, and on more than one occasion, I was sure I'd fall through the wooden surface.

Eventually making it up the stairs, I wasn't surprised to find that I had been right. It was the attic. I took a step inside. Out of nowhere, I was shoved into a pile of cluttered objects that had been obviously stored up here, I was picked up by the shoulders of my costume and was turned around violently.

An ear shattering scream tore its way from my throat as I stared into the dark, soulless eyes of a ReDead. It screamed just as loud as me, and I felt myself finally breakdown, my body was overcome with fear and had basically shut down, tears poured down my cheeks.

The thing dropped me, and I scrambled back into a corner, trembling. I never even noticed the light tingling sensation in my arm or the ReDead ripping off its head, revealing Mido in another costume. "Whoa," he gaped. "I think I broke her. Who would have thought that prerecorded scream was so good."

One of his cronies emerged from his hiding spot. "I don't know, Mido, man. She looks beat. Do you think something happened to her before she got here?"

"Yeah," the other one agreed, joining them. "Look at her costume. It wasn't red before and it smells funny now."

Mido groaned, probably rolling his eyes. "Who cares!?" he exclaimed. "It was worth it. I mean, did you see her face!? Hilarious!"

As Mido chattered on, laughing at his newest conquest, I turned my head and peaked at him through my dirty hair. My mind was screaming at me. _Why would he do this!? What was there to gain!?_

Suddenly, something dark fell from the rafters above. I jumped up in fright and found myself staring at the back of a cloaked man. Mido and his goons gaped, their eyes widening as big as saucers as the man made his way behind me. Strong arms wrapped around my waist and the man's long, dark cloak enveloped my tiny form.

"I suggest you gentlemen leave," he said, his voice warm and silky. "I don't take kindly to those who hurt my friends, and Xenia has been through a lot tonight."

I stiffened. How did he know my name? Who was this man?

Mido narrowed his eyes at said man. He spat in our direction, and I felt a rumble come from the chest of the man behind me. "And who the hell are you to give me orders!" Mido snapped.

The man rested his head on my shoulder. Whatever he did next had Mido and the other two boys screaming and running into each other. They fell to the floor and held onto each other tightly. "Leave," the man ordered, his voice suddenly cold and demanding. The boys wasted no time in scrambling out the door and out of the house. "Ah, finally they leave," the man said, sounding normal again.

I was eased down onto the floor and propped up against the wall. I looked up at my savior and saw them most handsome man I had ever seen. He looked almost familiar. "W-Who are you?" I stuttered.

The guy ran his slim fingers through dark hair. "I'm Link, the new transfer student."

I took in his strange appearance. The name matched with his face, but nothing else. "You look so different, though," I noted.

Link looked confused for a moment before realization flashed through his eyes. "Right," he said, grabbing at his hair. He pulled it off and showed off the golden-brown hair underneath. He ran his fingers though it before reaching for the red of his irises. When he next looked at me, his eyes were a striking cerulean. So he had been wearing a black wig and red contacts?

"N-Now I recognize you," I blushed.

Link laughed. "That's quite all right. My vampire costume is very realistic. I don't blame you for not recognizing me." Link's eyes scoped my form and he frowned. He unfastened his cloak from his shoulders and draped it over me. "Sorry about the sisters. When I bought the house. I didn't realize they and their brothers were residing here. I plan to teach them some manners before renovating the place."

I was shocked. "You bought this place? Why?"

He shrugged. "I like it. I grew up in a very traditional household, so I guess it reminds me of home. Now, what were you doing here?"

Looking down, I sighed. My fingers were unconsciously running over my pleasantly tingling marks. "Those three dared me to go inside when I…" I trailed off.

Link sighed as well. "When you got the fright of your life," he finished for me., and I nodded. He wrapped an arm around my shoulders. "Well, to be honest, I'm grateful to those clowns."

"Why?" I looked at him strangely.

He smiled. "I finally got a reason to talk to you. I've been wanting to since day one. You always had a book in hand and kept to yourself. You intrigued me."

I blushed fiercely at the compliment. Normally, I couldn't get a guy to look at me let alone talk to me. So getting complimented was a huge step up. I brushed a few strands of hair behind a long, pointed ear and looked away from Link. He would have none of that, though.

Link grabbed my chin and forced me to look into his oceanic eyes. "Please, don't turn away from me, Xenia. I want to be able to stare into those unearthly eyes when we speak. Forever, really."

My cheeks grew hotter, if that was possible. I'm sure I was redder than a tomato. "Link," I breathed. "We hardly know each other."

He smiled softly. "Ah, but I wish to know you better, if you will permit me."

I nodded hesitantly. "S-Sure," I stammered. My fingers were still running over my marks. They buzzed still. "Let's start," I began, a little nervous. "Are you really a vampire or aren't you?"

Link raised an angular eyebrow before smirking. "I don't know, am I? It all depends on your perspective. Am I or aren't I? It's up to you, Xenia."

The way he said my name made me shiver. I didn't push Link any further, not wanting to back my only friend into a corner. Somehow, though, I already knew the answer. It might have been the tingling marks on my arm indicating a gentle, yet powerful supernatural presence. Or perhaps it was the glimpse of inhumanly sharp teeth nestled just behind those sinfully perfect lips that were, without a doubt, real. I could only ever hope to truly know.

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**I hope you guys liked the story. It was interesting. Now what did you guys think? Do you people think Link is really a vampire? Or not? You decide! And yes, I know he wasn't in there a lot, but it was mainly focused on Xenia. And Link was still in there and he still saved the day... night?**

**Please, rate and review!**

**HAPPY 2014 HALLOWEEN! Mwahahahahah! **


	2. Chapter 2

**Well, it seems that I will indeed continue this and make it multi-chapters… You, the readers, can thank all your reviews for that. Most of them wanted me to extend this story, so I will comply. However, I will not be writing anymore chapters after this one until I can finish one of my other stories called Thievery, and this story will not be long… maybe ten chapters unless I'm convinced otherwise.**

**Disclaimer: See Chapter One. Enjoy! **

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Halloween was over… thank the goddesses! I really didn't know if I could take anymore frights! My heart was still pounding from my little adventure in the mansion last night!

After everything had calmed down last night, Link, a fellow classmate who actually lived in the mansion, escorted me home. Even when I told him he didn't have to, he insisted. "I don't want anything else to happen to my new friend," he had said. He got me home, said "good night," and proceeded to leave without any further words.

I never realized how grateful I was to him until after I got inside my house. I would be all alone for the remainder of the night since my parents were at a local party. That left me with one thing to do: cower under my blankets until I eventually fell asleep. There was no way that I was going to watch the Monster Movie Marathon, after all.

So now, November the first, bright and early, I was up and getting ready for school. I washed quickly and got dressed in my school uniform, opting to wear a sweater as well today. It was definitely nippy outside, and I wasn't allowed to let anyone see my markings on my arm anyway. Heading downstairs, I yawned and made my way to the kitchen, sitting at the table.

"Morning, sweetie," my mother, Rachel, greeted, her black hair falling down her back in waves. Faint bags could be seen under her eyes. They must have stayed out especially late last night. "How was the teen party?"

_That's right… I was supposed to go to a party as well when Mido and his cronies caught me,_ I remembered. "It was all right." The lie tasted stale in my mouth.

Mom smiled. "That's good, I suppose. You hungry? The blueberry muffins are about ready to come out of the oven."

"Yes, thank you." Not five minutes later, I was happily eating my muffin and waiting for my stepfather to join mom and me at the table.

When I was five, my real father had died in a car accident on his way home from the store. He wanted to be there for my birthday so badly that he never even noticed that his brakes had been tampered with until he was skidding across an icy road. The car was sent flying off the road and into a frozen lake. When the managed to pull up the car, my dad's body was found clutching a child's toy; a present for me. I would never forget the taunting children of my preschool class telling me that I killed my father.

The sound of heavy footsteps, jolted me from my memories, and I watched as my stepfather, Mason Hearts, came down the stairs. He was a very muscular man with blonde hair and hazel eyes. Stubble lined a firm jaw, giving him a five o'clock shadow. He worked as a carpenter, but on his off days, he loved to hunt with his friends. Mason was a kind and caring man, and I was lucky to have him as a stepfather.

"Morning," he said, sitting down. He clapped his hands and rubbed his palms together. "What's for breakfast? I'm starved." Mom giggled lightly before placing a plate of muffins, scrambled eggs, and sausages in front of Mason. "Ah, you've outdone yourself yet again, Rachel." He pecked my mother's cheek before diving into the food.

The display of affection was filled with love. It was plainly obvious to me how much in love the two were. My mother was lucky to be able to find Mason after my father's death.

My mother first met Mason when I was seven going on eight. We were exiting a bookstore when this man came up out of nowhere and snatched up both my mom's purse and me. I had never heard my mother scream so loudly before. Of course she gave chase, but she couldn't catch up no matter how fast she ran. Then here came Mason, swooping in and saving the day. They started dating soon after and got married a little more than a two years later. Her name changed to Hearts, while mine remained the same to honor my father's memory.

Xenia Seraph.

As Mason finished the last of his breakfast, swigging down some coffee, he turned to me. "So how was your party?"

I shrugged, picking up my orange juice. "It was… fine, I guess." Now I was lying to Mason too, great. He could sniff out a lie a mile away. It sure didn't help that he was a werewolf with amazing instincts.

"It was just fine?" he questioned, raising an eyebrow. I looked away and stood up to bring my dishes to the sink as my mother left the room. "Xenia," Mason drew out my name. "What happened last night? Did you even go to the party at all?"

With a sigh, I leaned against the counter and shook my head, holding onto my right arm. "No," I whispered.

Mason put his dishes in the sink too and then placed a hand on my shoulder. "Why not? What happened?"

I didn't want to recall last night. Almost everything about it had been terrible. "I was on my way there, when a couple of guys jumped me. They started teasing me and then they dared me to go into the old Poe Mansion on Kakariko Drive."

The werewolf in front of me growled. "Was it that Mido boy and his friends? Did they hurt you? I'll kick their scrawny—"

"No!" I objected quickly. "I-I'm fine. They just scared me is all. It was terribly scary. If only they knew that the mansion _is_ actually haunted."

"Is it now?"

I nodded. "Yeah, all of the Poe siblings are still living there. They scared me worse than Mido did. But there's someone else living there too."

"Really? Who would have thought someone would actually bought that place?" Mason added, surprised.

"I-I think he was a vampire. I could be wrong, though. My marks had been burning all night long, but his fangs looked so real. He was so kind too. He even chased off Mido and walked me home."

Mason hummed and stroked his chin. He looked up slightly, processing what I had said. "Strange that a vampire would be so considerate. I know that they have good manners and all, but I'm surprised he helped you out without asking for a little blood in return. It's even stranger that he's way out here, though. They tend to stick closer to the mountains." He looked out the window, no doubt watching for anything suspicious. He did this every morning. "I don't like it. I'm not sure if I want you hanging about this vampire."

I looked away and frowned. Right now, the last thing Mason would want to hear is that said vampire was a classmate of mine, so coincidentally enough, I left that part out. "Well, I better finish getting ready before making the commute to school," I said, already at the stairs.

"All right. Be careful today, Xenia. I'll keep this conversation a secret from your mother, but I don't want anything happening to you. Tell me you'll come to me if something bad happens."

I nodded and turned my head, a faint smile on my face. "Of course."

"One more thing…" Mason started. "Your marks, do they hurt you when that vampire is around?"

"No. It's actually kind of pleasant."

"Ah, well. Okay. Have a good day at school." He left for work without another word.

Taking in a deep breath, I continued my way up stairs. And as I gathered up my stuff for school, I frowned, becoming depressed. I knew the real question Mason wanted to ask. He wanted to know if my marks hurt me when _he _was around. It pained me to know that he didn't fully trust himself like I did.

Shaking my head and ridding myself of the gloomy thoughts, I headed back downstairs and went out the door, calling out a quick goodbye to my mother. Hopefully, today would be a good day. Most likely not.

* * *

If I had bothered to look up, I would have seen them coming. Unfortunately for me, I had my nose shoved in a book, as usual, and didn't see a fiery redhead and company coming straight for me. I only took notice when my book was ripped away and I was shoved up against the side of a building in an alley. My head smacked the brick building and I saw stars.

"Well, well, well, look what we have here boys," a familiar voice said. "Looks like vampire boy isn't here to save ya this time!"

As my vision cleared, I instantly wished I couldn't see again. "M-Mido," I stammered. "W-Why are you here?"

"Why am I—to get payback of course! We figured out what you did last night! Using some random guy to scare us, I mean, did you seriously think we wouldn't figure it out?" He huffed, grumbling something to himself. "We're going to have to teach you a lesson now, aren't we, boys?!"

"Yeah!"

"We'll show her!"

My eyes widened as Mido handed my book to one of his lackeys. The boy held it up by one side of the cover and proceeded to rip off the other side and every page that he could. Large tears welled up in my eyes as he destroyed the old book. "S-Stop it, please," I whimpered. "Stop!"

Mido snarled and gripped my shoulders tighter as the other boy through my book into a dirty puddle. "Talking back to us now, are you? Well, if you like the book that much, you can stay here with it!" I too was shoved to the ground, landing in the same puddle, becoming filthy. Mido and his goons laughed and walked away, leaving me where I lie.

I was soaked and filthy, but none of that even mattered right now. The only thing that mattered to me was the book and it was ruined. I picked up the destroyed cover delicately with my hands, my tears falling freely. This had been my father's favorite book. It was very old and it took my father years to find supposedly. It was called _Hylia's War_, First Edition, and it was no more.

Gathering up as many pieces as I could, I put them in my messenger bag and picked myself up. I shook off the water clinging to my clothes and trudged the rest of the way to school. So far, today has been Hell.

* * *

Pushing my bronze rimmed glasses further up the bridge of my nose, I tried to ignore all the harsh glares sent my way. My eyes were red and puffy, I kept sniffling, and I was dirty and wet. It was hard not to draw attention. I probably smelled now too thanks to the alley water.

I headed for the nearest girl's restroom and attempted to dry off. It wasn't helping. The only way I could get out of this would be to wear my gym clothes, but we couldn't wear them outside of gym class. It was against school rules. To make matters worse, these wet clothes were making me cold and the sweater was starting to itch, and I wasn't even allowed to take it off! What was I going to do?

Having done what I could do, I headed off to class. My homeroom was watched over by a crotchety old woman named Ms. Peck. I had no doubt that I would be receiving detention today.

As I walked through the door, the room went silent and snickers were stifled. Everyone was staring at me. I felt my cheeks heat up and my eyes sting from unshed tears. Hanging my head, I tried to avoid Ms. Peck's appalled gaze.

"Xenia Seraph," she exclaimed, excited giggles going off around the class. "What on earth are you…why… how dare you come to school looking like that!" I winced as she raised her voice to dog whistle pitches. "That's an hour's detention after school today, young lady. Now, go clean yourself up." She turned back to the class, grumbling to herself about "kids these days." I ran out of the classroom, not noticing as another student ran after me.

"Xenia! Wait!" they yelled.

I stopped abruptly and turned, a little surprised to see a certain somebody approaching. "Link… I-I…"

He slowed as he got closer, resting a hand on my shoulder, bending down to look me in the eye. "What happened?"

I avoided his gaze. "I-I… I tripped…"

"You're lying."

"I-I'm not!" I protested, gaping. Link smirked from under his green hoodie. He caught me. He knew he caught me. He knew that I knew he caught me. He reached for my bag, lifting it off of my shoulders before looking through it. "Hey, give that back!"

He took out one of the remnants to _Hylia's War. _"Who did this?" he asked, knowing that I wouldn't answer. When I confirmed that, he sighed, handing me back his bag. "I swear, you're too kind for your own good." Pulling me into the nearby janitor's closet, he locked the door and switched on the light. His eyes seemed to glow in the dim lighting and my arm tingled pleasantly as gripped my arm. "Strip," he told me.

My eyes bulged. "Wh-What?" Rolling his eyes, Link grabbed the hem of my sweater and literally tore it off of me. "H-Hey!"

"It was ruined anyway," he excused himself. As my marks were exposed, Link lifted my arm up gingerly. "I see," he mumbled. "That explains it."

"Explains what?"

"Never mind." He took off his hoodie and handed it to me. "Here, it will have to do for now." When I didn't take it, Link put it on me himself.

I looked down at the hoodie, which swamped my five foot six frame, and frowned. "What about you?" I asked, looking up.

Link smiled, softly. "I'm not going to continue pretending I don't know what you're talking about, but don't worry. I'll be fine. I'll just stick to the shadows." Grabbing me gently, Link pulled me flush against him and he inhaled deeply at my neck. "I'll walk you home today," he whispered in my ear.

My mouth had gone dry. The only thing I could do was nod. Link chuckled at this, pulling back to look at me before leaning in. Just as I thought he was going to kiss me, the door was unlocked and opened, a curious janitor peeking in. "What the—"

"It's not what it looks like!"

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**That's right, I brought werewolves to this story anyway! Ha!**

**Man, all that hurt/comfort. Soo much sadness. It will get better don't worry. We've yet to even crack the surface. At least there was so humor too.  
**

**More to come at a later time!**

**Please, rate and review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Another long awaited chapter. I really hope you guys enjoy this one.**

**I do not own Zelda.**

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I spent the rest of the day pretty much avoiding Link. After that incident in the janitor's closet, I was surprised we hadn't been expelled or something. It had been so embarrassing! I couldn't get my blush to fade all day either!

So as I sat in detention, my shoulders hunched, my fingers twiddling in my lap, I looked up at the clock in anticipation. Only ten minutes before I would have to face Link. He was walking me home after all. Now, that I thought about it, it probably worked out better for him too. After all, the sun would be pretty much behind the trees the whole walk home.

The sounds of Ms. Peck's drumming fingers drew my attention as she just tapped away on her desk. Her wrinkled lip was curled up in a sneer of distaste as she too stared at the clock. She glanced at me, then back at the clock before sighing. She pointed a shriveled finger at me. "You stay here," she ordered. "I have to run to the ladies room. If you so much as leave this room, I will give another detention. Do I make myself clear?" I nodded fervently. "Good."

At the sound of her retreating footsteps, her heels clacking against the floor, I began to notice how loud that clock really was. With each tick and with each tock my nervousness, for some reason, seemed to grow. I couldn't shake the feeling that something bad was going to happen.

Suddenly, a sharp, burning sensation shot up through my right arm. It was my marks! A supernatural presence was here and it wasn't Link. I gripped the tender flesh tightly, willing the burning to go away. _Please, no. Please, goddesses, no!_

A scream practically shattered my eardrums, despite it coming from down the hall. _Was that Ms. Peck? Did… did it get her?_ My heart was beating loudly now, speeding along faster than the clock. _What should I do? _

Rising to my feet, my skin clammy with nervous anticipation, I began to walk. I walked right out of the classroom and into the hall, unsure of myself. What would I find at the end of this hall? What would be waiting for me?

Slurping, dripping sounds seemed to echo all around me in a grotesque way. What was that sound? It just kept on going, making me cringe with each disgusting slurp. What was it?!

The ladies room was finally in sight, the door just barely hanging off its hinges. It creaked eerily, the slurping sounds getting louder the closer I got to the door. In the instant I placed my foot down, I swore I could hear something splash. Looking down, I recoiled in horror. I had stepped in some red liquid. It couldn't be blood… could it?

My breath was coming out in ragged breaths now. I just knew I was going to hyperventilate or something. Easing myself up against the wall, I grabbed onto the bathroom's door frame and peeked into it. I screamed.

A pool of blood surrounded Ms. Peck's lifeless corpse and some sort of creature was literally eating from her. I could have sworn it was human at first if it wasn't for the exaggerated horns protruding from the forehead and the split-sword like tail at the tailbone. I could see long claws at its fingertips and a long snake tongue slipped through fangs to lap up at the blood coming from Ms. Peck.

Hearing my scream, the creature turned, staring at me with cold, yet glaring yellow eyes. It hissed like some sort of lizard, its blood stained tongue coming out to taste the air. The creature suddenly smiled maliciously, launching itself at me. I screamed again, but it wouldn't matter. No one was here, so no one would hear me. It was the end.

Someone grunted in pain and it took a second for my brain to register that it wasn't me. Opening my eyes, I gasped as I saw Link standing in front of me, the creature biting into his muscular forearm. He looked at me from over his shoulder and smirked as blood dripped down to his elbow. "Is this a habit of yours?" he asked. "Always running into trouble?"

I didn't answer. All I could do was gape in amazement as the vampire pushed the creature off of him, kicking it with a sneaker-clad foot. The creature snarled, sliding back across the tiled bathroom floor falling over Ms. Peck's form. It only just managed to pick itself up again when Link came flying at it, driving his fist right into its jaw. I could hear the telltale sounds of the bone snapping.

"What are you doing here?!" Link demanded, towering over the grotesque creature. It's eyes narrowed the vampire standing over it, hissing as it bared its fangs. It's jaw was already turning purple. Link sighed. "I see."

Faster than I could blink, Link had grabbed the creature by the hair and slammed its head into the sink, literally tearing it off the wall. Porcelain exploded, coming off in shards, embedding themselves in everything. Water was now pouring out of the wall like a fountain, making the blood on the floor turn a pinker color before it swirled down the drain in the floor. The creature lay dead on the tile, its eyes lifeless.

Finding my voice at last, I gulped. "Wha-What was that?" Link turned to face me, eyes widening. He approached, staring down at my arm. I looked down as well and saw a shard of porcelain stuck in my arm. I hadn't even noticed. "Must've been the adrenaline," I said aloud.

Link didn't stop his approach, if anything, his pace became more frantic. He reached for my arm and stared long and hard at the shard. That's when it hit me. Link was a vampire. He was being exposed to a lot of Ms. Peck's blood and now a little of my own. It was a wonder he hadn't jumped me yet. I swallowed hard.

With a shaky hand, Link reached for the shard and pulled it free from my skin, cringing at the sound of my protest. "Sorry," he mumbled, his voice rough. He grabbed the hem of his shirt and ripped off a good strand before tying it around the wound. "That's all I can do for now," he said.

I nodded dumbly, letting my arm fall to the side. "What was that thing?" I asked again.

Link cleared his throat before motioning me out of the ladies room. "A basilisk hybrid." I knew what a basilisk was, but what did he mean by hybrid. "While it has been known that some supernatural mate outside of their species for whatever reason, whether it be another supernatural or a human, that hybrid was anything but natural. It was created in a lab."

"In a lab?"

"Yeah. It was probably human as some point in its life before being injected with basilisk DNA and experimented on. Pitiful creature, so mindless and bloodthirsty."

That brought another question to life. "Who would create a hybrid like that?"

"I have my suspicions."

I didn't push the question. Link didn't look like he wanted to answer anyway. However, from the way his mouth frowned, I could tell it was personal. Something had happened and it had affected him greatly.

"We better hurry and get you home. The last thing we need is to be discovered here when the authorities show up," Link said, the unexpected sound of his voice making me jump. He brought his right arm down to my knees and positioned the left at my back before scooping me up in his arms. "Hold on tight," he smirked.

"Wait. What are you doin—ING! AH!" I panicked, wrapping my arms around Link's neck as he darted off. My eyes slammed shut at the sudden burst of wind hitting them, but I forced them open only to see the landscape of the town blurring by us. Greens, reds, blues, and every other color all blended together as Link ran. I could only guess at how fast we were going, but I wasn't going to try.

Link came skidding to a stop, setting me down on wobbly legs. "Oooh," I groaned, patting my black locks back into place.

My vampire friend threw his head back and laughed. "Get used to that feeling, because once you travel by vampire, you don't ever want to take a bus again."

I glared at the vampire, proceeding to my front porch shakily. I sat down on the stoop, hoping to catch my breath. "So do I need to invite you in or something?" I asked, as Link just stared down at me.

He raised an eyebrow. "No, why would you need to? If that old legend were true then how the hell would I get into school. It's not exactly like you're invited there. Besides, I think I'll pass this time anyway. I keep smelling werewolf."

I waved my hand. "That's just Mason, my stepdad. He's at work still."

"Ah, yes, well, I should be going anyway. I have to get back to fixing up the manor. I actually got quite a bit of work done since you last saw it," he excused himself.

"Link, that was last night."

He nodded. "Yes, I know. I'm a speedy worker. I should be done by next Wednesday… That reminds me…" Link scratched the back of his head. "I'm, uh, throwing a little party the following weekend. I'm inviting the whole town as a little thank you for welcoming me. It's a gala. And…" he trailed off.

"Yes, what is it?"

"Would… would you like to attend? You know, with me?"

I froze. He wanted me to go with him? I felt my face heat up, spreading from my neck to the tips of my long ears. "Uh, um, s-sure," I stuttered. "No, problem."

"You will?! That's great! Thank you! The theme is: Masquerade!" he exclaimed, grabbing my hands. "Oh," he said, suddenly remembering something. "Don't forget to clean this." He motioned to my arm. I nodded. Link then leaned in close to my ear. "And don't worry," he whispered. "If you ever need me, just call. I'll come running."

"O-Okay."

Link let go of my hands and backed away slowly. "See you tomorrow, Xenia," he waved before vanishing in an instant.

"Yeah, see you tomorrow."

* * *

Mason and my mom had grilled into me when they got home after seeing my wound. Question after question came hurtling at my face, but I responded with the same thing. "Huh? I must have fell." Mason didn't buy it, I knew, but he was satisfied for now. The only reason I wasn't questioned about my clothes was the need for fresh laundry. I was able to add my clothes in.

So now, stepping out of the shower, I wrapped a towel around my torso before sitting down on the stool of my vanity. I pulled out some antibacterial spray and some gauze from one of its many drawers so I could clean and wrap my wound. That done, I got dressed for bed.

As I brushed my teeth, gazing at my reflection, my mind flashed back to the events of today. It had been horrible finding Ms. Peck like that. I may have not liked her, but I wouldn't wish that fate upon anyone. Who would even do that to someone?!

I wish Link would have told me… then again… I'd probably have nightmares all night. Not that I won't now, anyway. I thought the Poe sisters' illusions were bad, well, this was ten times worse. With a sigh, I finished up and headed for bed.

I was just about to pull back the covers when I noticed something on my pillow. "A present?" I questioned, picking up the delicately wrapped package. I untied the red ribbon and began tearing into the blue wrapping paper. As the gift was revealed, I stopped. It was a book. Taking it out slowly, my eyes began to tear up.

_Hylia's War, _First Edition, was what the cover read.

"Who—" I was about to question. I was suddenly reminded of Link taking my bag and looking inside of it. It had been him. Hugging the book to my chest, I set it down on my nightstand next to a picture of my father. I fell asleep with a smile on my face, and strangely enough, no nightmares plagued me.

If only I knew that the nightmares were indeed coming, and that they were very real.

* * *

**Well, I updated and I like this chapter for some reason. I feel like it's got a good balance going.**

**Soo, I'm going to hold a contest for this story. This is a trivia contest, so to win, you have to guess correctly and with a lot of detail. Remember, guys, more than one person can get the answer right, but the true winner will be picked by the quality and quantity of details.**

**If you win, you will get design a male vampire! You get to design everything but a backstory, but please, no cliché vampire names. While I would like for it to be dark, I don't want anything like Vladimir and well, you get the idea.**

**Anyway, your question: Which Zelda character, when taken to a game shop, will pick the shop keeper up with the mechanical claw by accident, getting you kicked out of the shop? You must say what game they are from and give a description of the character. Good luck!**

**Please, rate and review. (I will not update until I get at least ten reviews. And please, participate.)  
**


	4. Chapter 4

**Unknown voice: Hey, hey, hey… LISTEN!**

**(Freaks out) Oh sweet, Farore, no!**

**Unknown (Technically) voice: Hey! Listen to this! Courage of Awesome is updating! She had some people actually participate in her contest.**

**(Swats the air while walking randomly) Navi! Go away! Don't make me change my mind about actually liking you!**

**Navi: … Watch out!**

**Wha-AAH! (Falls in hole)**

**Navi: I warned her, but Courage does have a point, readers. This story is alive because of your reviews and if you don't review now, it's like Courage has continued this story for nothing. Remember, your reviews plays just as big as a part of keeping the story alive! Oh, and the winner of our CONTEST was SkywardPrincessofTime15!**

**(Calls out weakly from hole) I do not own Zelda. C-Can someone send down a ladder or something? Please… anyone… HELLO? (met with silence) Help…**

* * *

The days passed somewhat quickly, but at the same time, they seemed to drag on. The rest of the school week was somber and gloomy as the students and staff mourned Ms. Peck's death. And to make matters even more suspicious, when the police arrived to examine Ms. Peck's body and maybe even the basilisk hybrid's body, they were reported missing from the scene of the crime. Now, most, if not everyone's, eyes were on me. After all, I was the last one to be seen with Ms. Peck.

I could feel eyes of mistrusting eyes of my fellow students on me at all times. They weren't even trying to hide it anymore. Everyone believed I did it… everyone except Link. He has been my rock in these hard times, glaring at anyone who so much as looked my way. Link even kept me safe from the occasional abuse of the students. Who knew they would be so violent and quick to jump the gun.

That weekend, I stayed inside as much as I was able to. I was too scared to go out on my own. I didn't want to be jumped by any accusers and I wanted my parent's to find out about the accusations even less. Asking Link for help crossed my mind more than once, but I couldn't ask that of him. He was holed-up in his house as well only he was renovating. I couldn't take up his weekends too.

I was actually turning in for the night that Sunday when I heard a tap on my window. I looked nervously towards it before grabbing an extra blanket from the bed and wrapping it around myself. Slowly and unsurely, I made my way to the window and peeked out the glass.

"Hi, Xenia."

I jumped at seeing a face other than my own through the window, having expecting my reflection. I calmed realizing it was Link. Unlatching the window and sliding it up, I stood out of the way and watched as Link ducked inside. "What are you doing here? Aren't you still renovating?"

The vampire nodded. "Yeah, I'm almost done, though. I just have a few minor touches to do and then I have to start decorating for the party." Link looked down for a moment, then back at me. "That brings me to why I'm here. I have no idea how to decorate for a party, and I was wondering if you could help me?"

I thought about it, long and hard too. Did I really want to go back to _that _house? "Will the Poe sisters be there?" I asked warily.

Link nodded. "Yeah, but I'll make sure they behave."

My upper lip curled upwards and I groaned. "Ngh, fine. I'm free tomorrow evening."

"Only tomorrow evening?"

"Yeah, my mother and I are making our outfits Tuesday after school."

"I understand," the vampire said. "That should be enough time. I'll just copy what you do after you leave."

I smiled. "Sounds like we have a plan."

"Yup." Link looked around my room before his eyes landed on a black dress thrown over my computer chair. Walking over to it, Link picked it up, letting the fabric run through his hand. "So is this your dress?" he smirked.

Pulling my blanket tighter around myself, I turned away. "It's a masquerade, Link. You'll just have to find out on Wednesday."

There was a whooshing sound behind me and a breath at my ear. "Can't wait," Link purred.

Gasping, I turned around only to be met with an empty room. I sighed. "I hope this doesn't become a habit for him." Shirking of the blanket, I put it back on the bed and practically dove underneath the covers. And as I slowly fell asleep, I couldn't help but smile.

* * *

We… had a problem. It not only affected me, but the entire school as well. One of the students was missing. He had been missing for two days now and his parents finally reported it. That student was Mido.

While I had been the target of more than one of Mido's "jokes," I couldn't help but be worried for him. He was only a boy, an immature one, but he was still human. That made him defenseless. I could only hope he wasn't dead.

I stared blankly out the window of my last period class: Math. I didn't bother paying attention, I already knew what we were supposed to do, so why bother. Besides, I had a few other things on my mind.

I couldn't stop wondering if Mido left or was kidnapped, or even dead. I knew I shouldn't have even been concerned since there was no way it was my fault, but I couldn't help it. I had that tingling sensation in the back of my mind that somehow this would all come back to bite me. The only question was how.

The sound of the school bell woke me from reverie. Looking up, I watched as the other students filed out of the door to go home. Gathering up my stuff, I headed for the door as well. It was only when I saw Link waiting for me outside did I remember my promise to him.

He smiled as I approached. "Hey, you ready?" he asked.

I nodded and peeked at his face from under his hood. "Yeah, you're going to protect me from the Poe sister's though, right? I mean, if they try anything…"

"Of course." Link motioned with his arm to the parking lot. "Come on," he said, "I actually brought my car this time."

I smiled, thinking back to something Link had said. "I thought you said I'd never want to travel any way other than by vampire?"

The vampire returned my smile. "Yeah, well, this is for convenience. It'd be hard to carry you and party decorations."

My face turned a bright red as it heated up. I hadn't thought about the decoration issue. _There I go talking out of my butt again… Good Nayru, Xenia, why can't you think before you think?_ I thought, embarrassed. "Right."

Link turned to walk towards the parking lot, and I followed, staring at his back the whole way. I was too embarrassed to try and make conversation anyway. That's when I began noticing things about Link. The way he held himself, was strong and stiff. The set of his broad shoulders were tense, as if he were worried about something. I could even see the strained back muscles through his shirt and his green hoodie. What was on his mind?

As we approached a nice looking car, I realized it was Link's. I'd expect nothing less of a vampire that owned a mansion, but it still took me off guard. After all, a middle-average class girl isn't used to this nice of things. Despite this, I climbed in after Link.

Sinking into the plush leather seats, I sighed in content. It felt nice to sit in something more comfortable than wooden seats, and these seats were definitely more comfortable. "So how long will picking up the decorations take?" I asked as Link started the car.

"Not long," he answered, pulling out onto the street.

We drove in silence until we got to the store. Our shopping wasn't much more talkative either. I only added my input for when it was asked. However, about half way through, Link let out a tremendous sigh. "You know, you could add a little more input. I feel like I'm doing most of this myself and that is a terribly bad idea."

My face flushed. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize how much you wanted me to join in."

"Are you kidding me? I practically want you to do everything. I mean, don't get me wrong. I have impeccable taste for what is considered normal to me. I have no idea what kind of party the people of this town would want. I seriously need help, Xenia." Link actually sounded a bit desperate.

We continued to walk down the aisle of party stuff a little more relaxed. Now that we had established what was happening, it seemed the air had cleared a little. It wasn't so stifling. "Well," I began, "you have a good theme."

"I do?"

I nodded reassuringly. "Yeah, people, especially women, are suckers for the classically romantic… that's it!" I exclaimed, an idea coming to me in a sudden rush. "Steampunk!"

Link raised a fine eyebrow up at me, his face contorting to one of confusion. "Steam-what-now?" he questioned.

A giggle escaped me at Link's exasperated expression. "Steampunk," I reiterated. "As of lately, people have become more interested in the Victorian era. This mainly applies to wardrobe and furniture and appliances. However, to make the Victorian style more modern-friendly, people started giving it a refurbished look using gears, bolts, and other mechanisms."

"So people are just gluing spare clock parts around their homes and themselves?"

"No, every piece has a purpose. Another cool thing about steampunk is the functionality. While a lot of steampunk is about being aesthetically appealing, a good bit of it actually does stuff that would be useful in today's appliance reliant world," I explained.

"Oh. I see… so how would one decorate in a 'steampunk-y' fashion?" the vampire asked.

I thought about it for a moment. "Well, your home—err—mansion is already pretty Victorian looking, so we had a few gears and copper pieces and we'll be good to go. We also need to buy a few punch bowls, cups, napkins, etc."

Link dismissed it with a wave of his hand. "We have all the food required items. We won't need any catering either. My butler can take care of all the cooking."

My mouth dropped. "You have a butler now?"

He nodded. "Yeah, he arrived the other day. He was supposed to be here earlier, but I guess he lost with my shoddy directions. I just hope no one followed him."

"Why?"

"Let's just say I left my ancestral home for good reason."

I left it at that. Proceeding to the checkout line, I sighed. It was rather long, and it was already four thirty. I was wanting to be finished decorating by at least six or seven at the latest.

"What else do we need for a party?" Link suddenly asked from beside me.

I hummed in thought, my fingers on my chin. "Have you hired music yet?"

"Hired music?"

"Um, have you sought out anyone to play at the party?" I rearranged the question.

Link suddenly perked up. "Well, considering our theme, I was thinking of hiring a more traditional band. What do you think?"

I nodded. "That could be good, so long as they know how to play a little modern stuff too. We want to have a nice balance of old and new." We began placing our party things on the counter and I watched as the total continued to rise as the items were rung up. I winced at the grand total. "That's a lot of money," I commented at the one thousand and fifty three rupee total.

Link scoffed. "Please, that's mere pocket change," he said, placing the money on the counter. The cashier's eyes practically popped out of her head as she counted each shiny gem that emerged from Link's wallet.

"Maybe for people like you," I grumbled under my breath.

Choosing to ignore my comment, Link grabbed our bags and headed for the car. I followed him out and into the car. We were soon speeding off towards the mansion. _Hopefully the mansion won't take long to decorate._

* * *

Flopping back on the Victorian chaise lounge, I panted, exhausted from our work. Decorating the had taken longer than I initially thought it would. While Link had indeed renovated everything, he failed to mention how large the ballroom was. It was quite time consuming.

Nevertheless, it was almost done. Link was putting on some additional touches that I couldn't… well… reach. Looking up to the dome-shaped ceiling, I watched as Link literally clung to the walls to decorate each desired spot with the assorted gears, cranks, etc.

"Be careful up there," I called out from my spot on the lounge. No sooner than I had said that, Link came crashing down to the swirling ballroom floor. Said vampire let out a cry of pain as he hit the floor, that sent cold chills down my body. Bolting up, I walked over to Link and kneeled before him. "Are you okay?" I asked.

He groaned. "I will be."

Looking back up to where Link had fallen from, I whistled in appreciation. "I'll admit it," I said. "You didn't do too badly. It looks pretty good."

The white columns encircling the room had bronze curtains draped between them and both large and small gears adorned various places on the walls. Even the large crystal chandelier had gears, chains, and numerous other things hanging from it. It was all very steampunk.

The sounds of frantic footsteps met my long, pointed ears, and I turned to see who was running into the ballroom. "Master Link!" a voice called. "Are you all right?!" I smiled at the sight of a worried Shad. The auburn headed Hylian came rushing in with a panicked expression on his face. "Master, are you hurt?"

Link laughed as he picked himself up off the floor. "No, no. I'm fine."

Shad let out a breath of relief, his baby blues fluttering close. "Thank goodness." The Hylian dusted off his butler's uniform as he regained his composure. "Well, then, I am happy that you are unhurt, Master Link. However, I do suggest you be more careful when you gallivanting through the air."

The vampire chuckled lightly. "Of course, Shad. I'll try to remember that."

The butler pulled out a shiny, gold pocket watch and gazed at it, his eyes widening. "O-Oh, my!" Shad exclaimed. "It's nearly eight o'clock!" He looked to me. "Ms. Xenia, you might want to think about heading home soon. It's very dangerous at night."

I nodded. "Right," I drawled, turning to Link. "Will you walk me home?"

A smirk crossed Link's lips, and he bowed low. "Of course, madam. Nothing would make me happier."

What a goof.

* * *

The day of the gala had arrived at last. My mother was putting the finishing touches on our dresses. I felt like a prima donna doll in the dress, but my mother couldn't have looked any more beautiful.

Her coal-black tresses were pulled up on top of her head and left to fall down the nape of her neck, framing her face. The rich, burgundy, high-collared Victorian dress she wore was contrasted sharply with her fair skin. It was only outshined by the stunning emerald color of her eyes.

"Almost done," she said, sewing the last gear to the crest of my dress. My dress, sleeveless and black, was accented with white trim that outlined the sweetheart neckline and laced up the back. My mother made a complimenting, black fabric choker with a little red jewel hanging off of it. Another set was found in the cross earrings I wore. And of course, I had long, black gloves to hide my markings. All in all it wasn't a bad outfit. It was just different.

"Are we done yet?" I asked, getting antsy.

My mother laughed. "Almost." She began pulling my hair up in a fashion similar to her own.

"You've been saying that for the past five minutes now."

"And I mean it this time because we really are done." She stepped away to let me admire her handy work. I almost didn't recognize myself. I actually looked… beautiful. "Go put some contacts in and pack your glasses into your clutch."

I did as I was told, and when I returned, my mother handed me a simple mask designed to look like white lace. "This should go nicely," she said, wearing a matching black one.

"Ah, are my lovely ladies ready to go?" a voice said from the doorway.

Turning around, I saw Mason leaning against the doorframe. His face was shaven and his blonde hair was slicked back with oil, his eyes hidden behind a white a black mask, a white insignia on between the eye holes. He wore a traditional black tuxedo, replacing the tie with an old version of a burgundy, ribbon bow tie.

Mom giggled. "Why, of course!" She took his extended arm and began heading down the stairs.

I took one last look at myself before hurrying after.

* * *

The amount of people in the ballroom was stifling. _The whole town must be here!_ I thought as I squeezed through the masses of people._ How will I ever find Link in this crowd?_ Sitting down off to the side in one of the many chairs, I sighed. _I was really looking forward to seeing Link. _I paused, my eyes opening with a jolt. _Where did that thought come from?_

"Excuse me?" I looked up only to see a stranger in front of me. It was a man. Towering over me, dressed in a dark tuxedo, he smiled. Removing his top hat to bow, his yellowy eyes met mine from behind the black mask adorning his face. "Would it be considered rude of me to ask a lovely lady such as yourself for a dance?" he asked, his voice smooth and silky.

I wrung my hands together nervously. "Uh, no… not at all," I stammered.

Pushing his black hair back with a gloved hand, the man extended his other towards me, his cloak billowing behind him. "Wonderful," he said.

Taking the man's hand, I was literally swept off my feet and onto the dance floor, immediately settling into the waltz that the band was playing. That's when a thought occurred to me. _Could he be Link. After all, he was wearing a wig and contacts when I first met him. He could be doing it again. _My marks even seemed to agree with me, giving off a slight tingle. Although, they seemed to burn a little more for some reason.

The man spun us all around the dance floor, and from this distance, I could easily see the hints of purple in his iris. That couldn't possibly be real, could it? "Who are you?" I asked as we danced.

The man chuckled. "Now that would ruin the whole point of a masquerade, wouldn't it?" he said, bringing a hand up to trace my bottom lip. His face dipped towards me, and his nose ran along my jawline, making me shudder with unease. "You have no idea how much a covered neck tempts me. It's like a gift waiting to be opened. Alas, I must go now, my dear. Until next time, Xenia."

Breaking away from me, the man slowly backed into the crowd before vanishing all together… like a ghost. I spun around, blindly looking for the man, only vaguely aware of the slight panic in the crowd when a Poe sister revealed themselves. I was suddenly all alone.

"Xenia?"

I spun around, coming face to face with… "Link!"

The vampire stared at me, concerned and mask-less. "Are you all right?" he asked.

"How did… you… what?" I blabbered. My brain finally put some thoughts together coherently. "If you're here, then who was that?"

"What are you talking about?"

Looking for the vanishing man one more time, I huffed. "There was a man here… I thought he was you. Even though, you two don't really look alike, he had the same build as you, and I assumed he was just wearing contacts and a wig. We were dancing, and I suddenly realized he was a vampire, so I was pretty sure it was you. He even knew my name… Oh, goddesses! He knew my name!"

Link pulled me into a hug. "Shh," he calmed me. "It's okay. He's gone now and he didn't do anything, right? Everything will be—"

Multiple screams suddenly ripped through the air, making me jump and my eardrums pound. Link and I both turned and gasped. Men and women around the room stared at the very sight we were seeing in dead silence. A body was strung up from the chandelier by the neck, blood pouring off the body.

"What the hell?" Link murmured beside me.

I could only stare wide eyed, my hand over my mouth. Looking at the body, recognition seeping into my brain, I realized I knew who this was. How could I forget the shocking red hair and the blue eyes that terrorized me in my nightmares. My mouth moved to form the name. "Mido."

Another scream broke out among the crowd as a lady pointed at the far wall. There, written in what I presumed to Mido's blood, was a message. **_Let it be known, that the Priestess of Light and Shadow has been found, and the girl is mine! ~Kudo_**

The world started to spin, and I found the floor rushing up to meet me. Strong arms caught me as my vision faded to black.

* * *

**Fun Fact: It's been exactly one year today since this story was up. **

**Happy Halloween of 2015!**

**Well, the story started to pick up again. Yay! Drama! Bet you didn't see your character being used like that, did you SkywardPrincessofTime15?**

**And to my lovely guest reviewer: Yes, I realize that making people "buy" chapters with reviews is probably not the best way to go, but what's so wrong with it? I mean, people by books with actual money. Besides, how else am I supposed to get people to review. (I'm genuinely curious) They just don't review anymore… at all. I continued this story because of reviews asking me to, and not even those people review, so how am I supposed to know if I'm doing a good job or not? Am I even living up to their expectations?**

**Anyway, as a little Halloween present to all who read this: Don't know what to do with those pumpkin seeds? Want a quick, autumn themed snack? Try roasted pumpkin seeds!**

**Step One: Rinse off all the gunk off the seeds using plain water and a colander or strainer of some kind. **

**Step Two: Spread the seeds out on a pan that has been tin foiled. **

**Step Three: Put the preferred seasonings on the seeds. (My family prefers salt or Toney Chachere's Creole Seasoning)**

**Step Four: Roast the seeds in the oven until they dry out. (You might have to experiment with the temperature and time. It's different for everyone.)**

**Step Five: Eat! (Some people eat them just like a sunflower seed. I prefer to eat them shell and all.)**

**Seriously, try this recipe and tell me what you think in a review. Also, go ahead and put a review in about the story as well, guys!**

**To reiterate: Please, rate and review!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Okay guest reviewer who is playing devil's advocate with me, I appreciate your criticism (it's making me a better writer) but I already all this thought out before I even posted the last chapter. I guess I should have explained it in the last chapter, but I wanted to leave with a cliffhanger. Nevertheless, I shall explain in this chapter!**

**Thank you for being so involved with the story.**

**Now, I may not own Zelda, but enjoy anyway.**

* * *

I wasn't unconscious for long. It couldn't have been more than five minutes after the body had been found when I next awoke. Despite this, most everyone from the party was gone, only the town's more supernatural residents remaining.

Sitting up from my spot on the lounge that Link must have put me on, I caught sight of Mido's body being lowered from the chandelier. Just looking at it made me woozy—no—sick!

"What's going on here, vampire?! You better start explaining!" I heard Mason yell from across the room. He was up in Link's face from what I could tell, finger poking his chest.

Link shrugged. "I'm just as lost as you all are. I was not planning for my party to end that way."

With a groan, I stood up and made my way over to the small group of people. "Where is everyone?" I asked.

"I hypnotized them and sent them home," my vampire friend explained. "They won't remember a thing about the body."

"Speaking of," Mason began, "how come we didn't notice it before. Even if it was high up so we couldn't see it, the amount of blood pouring off of it would have alerted us to something. And if not that, what about other fluids like saliva?"

Link extended his arm in sweeping bow. "Shall we?" he inquired.

Walking over to Mido's corpse was the last thing I wanted to do, but I was curious as well. Just what happened to Mido? What were we dealing with?

By the time we reached the dead boy, Shad had finally managed to ease him on the ground, handing a pair of gloves to Link. Said vampire pulled them on and began his examination. "See here and here?" Link asked, pointing to the dark circles and chapped lips of the corpse. "This boy was completely dehydrated. I doubt he even has any tears in his tear ducts. This would account for the lack of drool and other fluids. In fact, I think he might have died from dehydration. There aren't any bite marks." Link titled the head back to let us observe the neck.

"He's right," Mason sighed. "No puncture wounds."

"And look here at his finger tips and nose. They're turning purple. And his skin is very cold, even for a dead person," Link pointed out.

"Frostbite?" I asked aloud.

Link nodded. "After drying out, whoever did this attempted to preserve the body by freezing it. Unfortunately, since the freezing process wasn't instant, the body's suffering from frostbite and from punctured arteries." He pointed to a series of bruising under Mido's skin. "These spots are were veins busted from the extreme cold. The blood pooled under the skin from there."

"You are quite the scientist," my stepfather observed.

With a shrug, Link began undoing Mido's shirt the rest of the way, revealing a nasty cut oozing with blood. "This cut was made recently. From what I gather, it's the source of the blood flow." Link blinked his eyes rapidly and breathed in sharply through his mouth. He was attempting to avoid smelling the blood.

Mason growled before hoisting Link up and pushing him away from the body. "Get a hold of yourself, vampire. What are we dealing with? I know you know. I could tell from your reaction from the note left to you."

Shaking his head and clearing his senses, Link sighed deeply. "We are dealing with a vampire by the name of Drake Kudo which explains why we weren't able to see him move the body and write the message. He was using his vampiric speed." Link's face turned to one of sadness. "Drake Kudo is also the murderer of my entire clan and my father."

* * *

I felt my next breath stop suddenly, my throat constricting tightly. The look on Link's face, one of such sadness, nearly brought me to my knees. All I wanted to do was comfort him.

"Y-Your father?" my voice quivered. "He—what—why… why would he do that?"

Link didn't want to answer, that much I could tell. The way he hung his head, his eyes downcast, made me realize that he was still mourning his clan's death. He was in pain. "Power?" Link guessed with a shrug. "The only ones to escape were my brother and myself… and of course Shad."

"What kind of power drove him to commit such a vile act?" Mason spoke up.

"Any and all of it," said Link. "The only reason my brother and I were born was because of the arranged marriage to my mother. I'm certain that if he hadn't been forced into it, my father wouldn't have married and had children. He's the kind of man that wants absolute power all to himself and he will do anything to obtain it."

"Do you think that vampire from tonight was your father?" I nervously asked. Unconsciously, I ran my hand up and down my arm, soothing the searing marks. "I could barely tell he was supernatural at the time. My marks weren't terribly painful at all."

"It had to have been. My brother and I don't go by that last name any longer and the rest of the clan was… wiped out. And as for the issue with your marks, he was probably masking his presence with a spell. He's been known to have a few witchy friends from the ancient times."

A sudden thought occurred to me, making me cringe and shudder with disgust. "Gross! Your father flirted with me!" I stuck my tongue out in distaste. "Talk about a whole new meaning to robbing the cradle! But he was so young looking!" My mind whirled at the thought of an ancient vampire looking so young, and if that was the case, just how old was Link really?

"He. Did. What?!" my werewolf stepfather growled. He began pacing the entire length of the ballroom. "What a conniving and disgusting thing to do! Who does that!"

_Don't werewolves have a similar lifespan to vampires? How old is Mason? _I wondered, oblivious to Mason's rant. A shrewd look passed over my face. _Is he super old compared to mom?_

Link cleared his throat, gaining our attention. "Well, I think it's time we settle in for the night. I hope you all process the information well and let it sink in. I'll be keeping a closer eye on the town and I suggest you all do the same. Safe travels on the journey home."

"Right," Mason said, taking my mother's arm. She had taken everything in stride and was doing rather well. But of course, that was expected of the wife of a werewolf. "Come on, girls," said werewolf continued. "We best be getting home."

"One moment," I said with a raised hand. Turning to Link, I took a breath and glanced at the bloody message written on the wall. For the question I was about to ask, I suspected I already knew the answer, but I had to be sure. "Link, who is the Priestess of Light and Shadow?"

Link looked away with his eyes before staring at me straight in the face. "At the moment, unless proven otherwise, you."

* * *

Sleep didn't come easy to me. I kept tossing and turning at the thought Link's father using me like some object in his quest for power. I felt like I was going to be kidnapped at any moment. When I did manage to fall asleep, I didn't stay that way for long. The smell of smoke and the blaring siren of the fire alarm made sure of that.

Springing out of my bed in a panic, I yelped in pain when my ankle rolled and I was sent crashing to the ground. I pulled up the end of my pajama bottoms to access the damage. My ankle was twisted at an awkward angle that I was certain was unnatural and it was already starting to bruise an ugly yellowy-green color. It would be purple by tomorrow for sure. Touching it lightly, I hissed at the pain I caused myself. My ankle was surely broken, but this was no time to sit around.

"Mom!" I yelled, getting on my hands and knees, trying to stay under the smoke. "Mason! Help!" Sweat began to trickle down my body as I crawled my way to the door.

"Xenia!" I heard Mason yell. "Hold on!" The door swung open, but as soon as Mason took a step, the ceiling collapsed and a flurry of rubble came hurtling towards Mason. He was forced to jump back, the only way into the room now blocked entirely. "Are you all right?!" Mason coughed.

"I-I'm fine!" I lied, secretly scared out of my wits. "Just a little shaken." The thought of Mason attempting to dig his way through the rubble flashed through my mind. "Don't try to get in!" I yelled. "I don't want you burning your hands no matter if you heal fast or not. This rubble is too thick even for you! I'll… I'll find another way out!"

Mason coughed again, and I could imagine his body shaking with each breath. "Okay," he finally said. "You do that. The fire department is on its way. Everything is going to be all right, sweetie." I could practically hear the heartbreak in his voice.

I smiled sadly, knowing that it probably wouldn't be. "I know," I lied again. "I know. Now get out of here!"

"Right!"

The sound of retreating footsteps told me Mason had left. Now, to find a way out of here. Crawling back towards the bed, I used it as leverage to hoist myself back on my feet so I could limp myself to the window. I felt the surrounding wooden pane with the back of my hands. It was hot, but not unbearably so. Grabbing the bottom of the window, I ignored the way my flesh turned red with the heat and attempted to slide the glass up. It wouldn't budge. The heat had caused the wood to expand, and I couldn't lift it.

A strange sound caught my attention. It sounded like soft squealing. My eyes went wide, having recognized the sound. Diving towards the floor, I covered the top of my head with my hands as the glass in the window exploded from the heat. Glass shards rained all around me, some getting stuck in my body. I turned my head to see my only way out engulfed in flames. All hope I had died. There was absolutely no way I could get through that.

It was then that an idea struck within me. Dragging my body into the connecting bathroom, I pulled myself up to the bathtub. Coughing violently, I began to fill the tub up with cold water. I didn't wait for the tub to fill up, I just eagerly climbed in as I felt my skin began to burn from the sweltering room. I shivered as the icy water met my hot skin. I sank to the bottom of the tub, my face exposed, praying that this would work.

I didn't know how long I had been in the tub, the water continuously flowing from the spout, and I didn't know if I would even survive this. The only thing I could do was hope that I would; hope that someone would rescue me; hope that the flames wouldn't change this water to boiling hot.

Coughing, I internally scolded myself for not grabbing a towel to wet and hold over my face, but it was too late now. I doubted I could even climb out of the tub at this point. My ankle throbbed and I was becoming very sleepy. I couldn't help but find it ironic that the house I had spent the majority of my life in would soon become my tomb. After all, if the smoke and fire didn't kill me, the collapsing house would.

_"Xenia!"_

My vision began blurring and my hearing was muffled by the water, but for a moment—just for a moment—I could have sworn I heard my name.

_"Xenia!"_

There is was again. My name spoken so passionately and with such conviction that I almost believed the voice I was hearing was real. I decided to amuse myself one last time. Holding out my hand, I whispered softly, "I'm here."

It was only when hands gripped my shoulders, almost painfully so, that I was jerked from my hallucination and forced to face reality.

"Xenia! Come on, don't fall asleep! Wake up!"

My eyes snapped open as someone began shaking me, and I gasped before coughing roughly. I was suddenly pulled to a strong chest. "Goddesses! Don't scare me like that!" the same voice demanded.

Looking up at my savior, I gasped. "Link?"

"Who else?" He let go and began digging though my cabinets in search of something. When he found it in the linen closet, he emerged with a towel and soaked in the water I was sitting in. "Good job thinking of this. It probably saved your life." He draped the towel over my head and then reached underneath me. "Up we go," he said, lifting me up in his arms.

"How are we going to get out of here?" I questioned, my voice hoarse from coughing.

"We've got no other choice but to go directly into the flames at the window. That's how I got in here."

"We'll be burned!"

Link smirked. "Not if we're fast enough." At that moment, the vampire darted off, using his vampiric speed and shot out of the house like a bullet with me in his arms. Link landed on the grass, now dry and dead from the fire, and ran around to the front of the house.

As Mason and my mother spotted us, they ran up with worried looks. "Xenia!" my mother cried, large tears rolling down her face. She went to hug me, but quickly stopped upon seeing my body up close. Link placed me on the ground and propped me up with his arm. He grabbed the damp towel and pulled it off from the top of my head.

"Are you all right, sweetheart?" Mason asked, gingerly picking up my arm to begin pulling out a few shards of glass from the window.

I nodded rubbing at my face with my other hand, wincing as my fingers brushed over tender areas. "Yeah," I breathed. "I'm just a little singed. And I can't really feel my ankle anymore."

"You're ankle?" Mason questioned.

I nodded again. "It rolled, and I'm pretty sure it's broken."

"Let me see," Link said, bending down towards my ankle. He ran a finger lightly over the bruised and swollen skin, flinching backwards when I cried out. "Yeah, it's broken. You can see were the bone is rubbing against the side of the skin."

"Great," I muttered.

It wasn't long before the paramedics arrived at the scene along with the firefighters. And while the paramedics checked us out and the firefighters go control over the roaring flames, I couldn't stop staring at Link. This had made the second time he had saved me from dying. At this point, I wasn't so sure I could survive without him.

"Well, everything checks out," one of the paramedics said, drawing my attention. "We're going to bring you to the hospital to get an x-ray on that ankle and put it in a splint; worst come to worst, it'll be a cast."

"Thank you," I told the man.

As the paramedic left, the sight of one of the firefighters talking to Mason drew my gaze. They were talking about something, most likely the fire. I couldn't make out everything, but I did understand one word spoken. "Arson."

"Xenia." My attention was once again diverted to Link. "There's something I need to talk to you about." I urged him onwards. "I was doing some research on the Priestess of Light and Shadow and I learned something about her powers."

"Yes?" I questioned the long, dramatic silence filling the air.

"Well, every this priestess came up in the ancient texts, she was unable to awaken her powers before something happened to her and somehow her powers were transferred to someone else. There's a catch, though, that you must know. In order for her powers to transfer to another person's soul, there are two things you could do. One would be to mate the priestess, but if a child is conceived in the process, the child gets the power over the mate."

I kind of expected that after Drake had flirted with me, but with another round of silence, I grew nervous. "And? What's the other way?" Link looked the other way. "Link?" I timidly spoke up. "What's the other way?"

A sharp breath escaped his lips, and I could see the pinprick of tears at the corner of his eyes. What he said next shook me to my core. "The priestess is sacrificed and her soul is harvested. This fire was caused by my father. If he can't have you one way, he'll have you another."

Oh, crap.

* * *

**Bet you didn't see your character being used that way SkywardPrincessofTime15?!**

**Anyway, that's the end of that chapter. I hope the body was explained well enough for you, wonderful guest reviewer. Also, sorry if the last half of the chapter seems a little rushed. I have a lot of stuff piling up on my plate, and I'm a little mixed up with everything. **

**TOO MUCH STUFF GOING ON!**

**Ahem, anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter.**

**Please, rate and review.**


	6. Chapter 6

**It's been awhile, but I'm back with an update! From this point on in the story, darker themes will appear.**

**I hope you all enjoy this chapter.**

**I do not own Zelda.**

* * *

My ankle was officially diagnosed as broken. By the time I had reached the hospital, it was an ugly dark purple and swollen the size of a softball. Luckily, the doctor said it would only take six weeks to heal at the most. Unfortunately, I had nowhere to rest and heal.

Our home was condemned after the fire, unfit to be lived in. We had no family in the area either… or family for that matter. My family was homeless.

Mason raked a hand through his hair, his other on the wheel of the car. "We'll have to stay at a motel tonight unfortunately. The good news is that some of our stuff survived the fire. The authorities are waiting at the house with it."

"I suppose that is good news," my mother agreed.

I was a little too doped up on pain meds to respond, but I could understand the points of the conversation… barely.

We pulled into our once driveway, spotting the authorities with our stuff right away. Surprisingly enough, Link was with them. What was he doing here? Mason got out of the car with his arms crossed. "Yes, can I help you?" he said to the vampire.

Link sighed. "Look, sir, I know you don't trust me like I'd hope you would, but I want to assure you that I am genuinely concerned for your family's safety. If my actions till now have not been proof enough, I'd like to invite you to stay with me until you find a new means of dwelling. I have more than enough room."

Mason unfolded his arms and walked towards the authorities to retrieve our stuff, Link following behind him. He continued to talk and try to convince the werewolf, but their voices became muddled the further they went. I could no longer make out the words.

The two talked for what seemed like forever. I only had some clue as to what was going on when Mason shook Link's hand. The conversation had gone in the vampire's favor. They returned to the car, and Link joined us, climbing into the backseat beside me. "Uh, is she okay?" he asked, noticing my dazed expression.

Mom giggled. "She's fine. The doctor gave her some really good pain meds."

Like I mentioned before, I could understand points in the conversation, but my brain wasn't exactly sure how to respond since it was pretty much mush at the moment, and things just kind of came out however they wanted. Pointing at the vampire, I laughed. "Haha, hiya, Link!"

Grabbing my hand gently, Link joined in with the chuckles. "Hello, Xenia. How are you feeling?"

I smiled giddily. "Fantastic!"

"Glad to hear it."

Mason pulled out onto the road and began driving to Link's mansion. "So vamp—er—Link, what made you want to help us?" the werewolf asked.

Link's thumb stroked softly over my knuckles. "To be completely honest, sir, I consider Xenia to be a very good friend, and I care deeply for her. I don't let my friends want for anything. I would do anything to keep them safe."

My mother smiled. "You're a good guy, Link. Never change."

* * *

By the time we reached the manor it was well into the night, and I didn't much feel like moving. "Come on, Xenia. You need to get to using those crutches," Mason said, urging me to leave the confines of the car.

"Don't wanna," I grumbled, yawning mid-response.

"Xenia Seraph, I understand those pain meds are messing with your mind, but do as your told," mom scolded.

Link held up his hands in an attempt to appease my folks. "It's fine, Mrs. Seraph. I'll carry her," he said, lifting me out of my seat.

Mom nodded. "Thank you, Link, but it's Hearts actually. Seraph was Xenia's father's last name."

"My apologies. I just assumed you changed Xenia's name when you remarried."

"Not at all," Mom said, dismissing Link's apology. "I understand. It's a common misconception. We wanted Xenia's last name to remain the same in honor of her father."

Link held me close to his chest as he walked towards the front door. My head rested on his left pec, his heart thumping faintly in my ear. For a brief moment, the thought of why he had a heartbeat crossed my mind, but I soon became entranced by the overwhelming smell of chocolate and pine. It was a strange combination of smells, but intoxicating nevertheless. Burying my face into Link's chest, my nose getting lost in the dress shirt he still wore, I sighed in contentment. "You smell nice," I mumbled into the folds.

Breath hitching, Link's steps faltered for just a moment before he continued on, the front door opening seemingly on its own. Once inside, it was revealed that Shad had opened the door. He welcomed Link back with a low bow and proceeded to tell him that the rooms for us were prepared. Link, it seemed, had already decided that we were staying with him even before we did.

Climbing up a very small set of stairs that could be compared to a low stoop, we ventured down the west wing before coming to a stop at a bedroom door. Link motioned for my mother to turn the handle, and we all went inside. I was brought to a lavish four poster bed, and was probably the biggest bed I had ever seen. "This will be Xenia's room," Link said. My mother pulled down the comforter and sheets, so Link could put me down. He promptly pulled the blankets back up and turned to follow my mother out.

"Wait," I said, making a grab at his hand. The pain meds were finally wearing off, and I was slowly becoming myself again. But my fear came back as well. "What's going to happen to me, Link? Am I going to die?"

Steel determination crossed Link's face as he perched himself on the edge of the bed. He held my hands and I began to notice the lack of both warmth and cold. He matched the room's temperature so perfectly it was like he wasn't there at all. "Don't worry," Link said, his voice rich and smooth. "I won't let anything happen to you. I swear it." He kissed my knuckles lightly, earning a blush from me.

With one last look of assurance, Link dropped my hands and stood up. He pulled the rope cord beside the bed, the red sheer canopy cascading down like a waterfall to surround the bed. "Good night," he said with a smile. Link left without another word.

* * *

I slept well into the next evening, not waking up until around four. Sitting up, I gasped as the pain in my ankle flared up. I would need some more pain meds soon. Looking around, the room currently blurred, I spotted my glasses on the nightstand beside the bed and my crutches just beside it. Grabbing the glasses and putting them on, my vision cleared, and I moved to stand up on my crutches.

"I wonder if anyone is around."

Making my way out of my room, I hobbled around the west wing, my arms becoming sore from the crutches. I searched for any sign of life for what seemed like hours before stumbling my way into one of the libraries of the mansion. I decided to take a breather.

Plopping down on one of the couches, I breathed out deeply, trying to catch my breath. These crutches were quite difficult to use. It was then I noticed the floating books and sighed. "Seriously," I asked the invisible Poe sisters. The four became tangible, snickering teasingly together. They set their books down and circled me, appearing to dance. I chuckled breathily. "You four seem more friendly than when I last met you. I guess Link and your brothers really did teach you some manners."

The gentler of the four sisters, a green-clad Amy, floated towards me before pulling on me with her free hand. She made a motion with her torch. Did she want me to follow her?

Grabbing up my crutches, I began to follow the ghosts as they led me to the far corner of the library, Amy still clutching the sleeve of my shirt. Beth with her blue flames shined a light on a tapestry depicting one of the saviors of Hyrule: the Master of Spies, Impa. The Sheikah was notorious for protecting our Marvelous country from under the radar in the era of Hero of Time. She was also one of the seven sages.

The tapestry was pulled aside and another door was discovered. I pushed on the wood and the door gave way, swinging open to reveal a hidden passage. Should I go in? My question was answered as the Poe sister's began to push me forwards. I had no choice but to do as they wanted lest I fall over. Their colorful torches were my only light. What did they want to show me?

Finally coming up to a wall, I grew confused. "Why would someone make a secret passage and not put something in it?" I wondered. That's when I heard the voices. They sounded like they were coming from the wall; they were angry too. I noticed the protruding brick in the wall next. Kneeling down very carefully, I set my crutches to the side and pulled on the brick. A hole was created that I could peek through, and I did. What I saw came as a shock.

I could see right into what appeared to be Link's office. Stranger than that, my mother and Mason were in there as well as Link himself. They appeared to be having a very heated debate.

"You're crazy if you think we'll agree to that!" Mason growled.

Link slammed his head on the mahogany desk across from Mason. "Look, I want to protect her as much as you, if not more, and I'm not saying that is what we should do, but it is an option and one of the easier ones that doesn't require much sacrifice. She's never known her power, so what does it matter if she transfers it to an heir."

_Heir? _I questioned.

"You can't expect my daughter to run from a crazed vampire with a baby perched on her hip!"

"Mrs. Hearts," Link warned, "If we're lucky, the baby wouldn't even be born while Drake is still alive. And like I said before, I don't expect us to take this option. But as I told Xenia herself, it is an option."

My eyes widened and I stumbled backwards, having to mask my gasp of pain as I put weight on my ankle. I could barely comprehend the fact that someone wanted to kill me, but Link's solution was for me to get pregnant?

"My daughter is not just going to shack up with just anyone."

Link growled. "I would never allow her to. I would sooner rip out the male's throat than see him place a permanent mark on Xenia! This is her choice. She chooses who she will be with or even if we do this at all."

_My choice. _I couldn't help but notice the disgust in Link's voice as he even suggested someone were to do this to me. There was also resentment—regret… but why?

Why?

Using the wall as a support, I stood up on my crutches and quietly made my way out of the passage, not bothering to replace the brick in the wall. After all, who knows when I would come back.

* * *

**Drama bomb, am I right?! Yeah, Link's basically suggesting Xenia should get pregnant to transfer her powers to someone else. Will this really prove to be the solution, or will this just pose new problems all together.**

**New characters will be introduced in the next chapter! Yay!**

**Please, rate and review! Keep the story alive!**


	7. Chapter 7

**So something pretty serious was suggested during the last chapter… yeah, that whole pregnant fiasco.**

**Well, let's see how Xenia takes it.**

**I do not own Zelda.**

* * *

After the conversation I eavesdropped on, I decided that I needed to clear my head for a moment and reflect on the situation itself. I had wandered all around the manor to do just that when I finally stumbled upon the garden. There had to be every type of plant imaginable here as it was absolutely huge! Although, there seemed to be an especially excessive amount of roses. A favorite perhaps?

Sitting down on the stone bench under a large red-leafed maple, I sighed heavily. I couldn't believe that Link wanted me to get pregnant. He had told me it was a way to pass on my powers, sure… but I never thought he'd actually consider it. I hadn't even imagined having kids once. I wasn't sure if I even wanted kids at this rate.

Of course, the more I thought about it, the less unpleasant it seemed. I mean, my mother was just barely out of high school when she married my father, and I was a senior myself now. Then again, my mother and father were madly in love too. Though, it wouldn't be terribly bad, but I couldn't decide on something so serious so easily. I would need more time to think this over. It would be considered, though. After all, I was free to decide and it was my choice… no one else's.

"There you are." I looked up to see Link approaching me in a black hoodie with the words "keep out of direct sunlight" plastered across a caution sign. "I was wondering where you went."

I smiled, deciding that Link didn't need to know about my spying. "Nice hoodie," I said. "Kind of ironic, though."

Link chuckled nervously, rubbing at the back of his hood-clad head. "Yeah, a friend thought it would funny."

"Friend?" I wondered, feeling a tad jealous.

"My brother's fiancée actually."

"Oh."

We sat in an uncomfortable silence. Neither one of us had any idea of what to say to the other. I, myself, was ashamed at my petty jealousy towards someone I didn't even know. Why was I jealous anyway? It's not as if I liked Link… right? I mean, I barely knew the guy! I couldn't like him as more than a friend… could I?

Of course not!

"I know you were listening in to my conversation with your parents," Link suddenly said out of the blue.

I turned to him, my eyes wide. "H-How could you?"

"I could smell you."

"You… could smell me?"

Link nodded, his eyes looking off at one of the many rose bushes. He reached out and plucked one off, ignoring the way the thorns pricked at his skin. He pulled off the red petals one by one, watching as they fell on the grass. "I can always smell you," Link admitted. "Your scent is like my greatest addiction. But that's not the only reason your always on my mind." The last petal fell as Link turned to look at me. He took my hand in his and stared deeply into my eyes. "Xenia, I—"

"Master Link!" a voice interrupted.

With a growl of frustration, Link dropped my hand and turned around on the stone bench slowly. Shad stood near the garden entrance nervously, knowing that Link was upset at his arrival. "What?" the vampire snapped.

Eyes wide and mouth gaping like a fish, Shad pointed back inside the manor. "Your brother is here with his fiancée."

Link's head cocked in confusion, he stood up from the bench, waiting to help me to my feet. "What in Hylia's name are they doing here?" he wondered aloud, making sure the crutches were firmly under my arms.

"Could it just be a coincidence?" I asked him.

The hoodie-clad vampire shrugged as he headed inside. "With my brother, who knows? More than likely not, though. Something must have happened. He's always in the center of trouble. As a matter of fact, he _is_ trouble."

As we reentered the manor, the marks on my arms started tingling more pronouncedly, almost like a buzz, and three voices became clear. One definitely sounded like my mother. "Aren't you precious?!" she was yelling excitedly. "You're so cute, I could just eat you up!"

"Please don't," another person grumbled. By the sounds of it, they were also female. It must have been Link's brother's fiancée. But what on earth made my mother react how she did?

Entering the foyer, it became painfully obvious why my mother was squealing like a seven-year-old with a kitten, since in a way she was… only older. Mom had her arms wrapped around a woman, probably squeezing the life out of her, while rubbing her face against the top of the woman's head. A long, black… tail?... swished angrily behind the woman. Upon seeing me, the woman perked up, dark green eyes boring into me with their slit pupils, the jet black hair on her head standing slightly on end. "Is this your mother?" she asked me, and I nodded. The woman smiled, revealing a set of fangs. Was she some kind of vampire too? "Well, then… can you please. Get. Her. Off. Me?!" the woman yelled, suddenly turning feral.

I jumped at the unexpected mood swing and instantly began making shooing motions at my mother. "You heard her!" I panicked.

Mom released the woman, depressed. "But I just wanted to cuddle with her," she meekly admitted.

"Who would want to cuddle with Kalil?" Link asked jokingly.

"Hey!"

Turning to Link, mom gaped. "She's a kitty! Why wouldn't I want to cuddle with her?!"

Rolling his eyes, Link looked to his soon-to-be sister-in-law. "So where's bro?" he asked.

"Getting the bags," Kalil responded.

No sooner than she said it did a Link lookalike come walking in through the door. And while I figured the two were twins upon appearance, Link's brother looked strangely familiar. That's when it hit me. Turning to Link, I raised an eyebrow up at him. "You dressed up as your brother for Halloween?"

Link shrugged. "He looks more like your classic vampire than I do."

True enough, Link's brother looked exactly like him except for the paler complexion, the black hair, and the red eyes. The resemblance would be uncanny otherwise.

"Xenia, Mrs. Hearts, I would like to introduce you to my brother Dark and his fiancée Kalil."

Dark extended a hand to my mother then to me. "Yeah, it's nice to meet you both."

"Same here," Kalil agreed. "And sorry about earlier, I'm panther demon, or a type of neko to some, so I'm kind of bipolar."

I waved her off. "It's fine. I get it…" And now that I looked closer, parts of Kalil's hair were actually a pair of furry ears, which explains why it looks like her hair stands on end. "What I don't get is how Dark and Link look so similar, yet so different."

Dark laughed lightly. "We're half-twins!" he smiled.

"Half-twins?"

Link began to explain. "A half-twin occurs when fertilized egg containing more than one sperm suddenly separates into individuals. As a result, the children that are produced only get certain genes from the parents when they would have shared an identical set. That is why Dark and I look mostly alike with a few differences."

After Link's explanation, my brain wanted to trickle out of my ears as goop. "Jeez," I groaned, rubbing my temples. "You sound like the science teacher, Link."

"And that was the simplified version," he admitted.

"Truth be known," Kalil said, "there's another one of them. They're actually triplets, but they tend to forget about the youngest."

I blanched. "That's terrible."

"Well, Ravio tends to go unnoticed." Dark looked to Link who nodded in agreement before turning back to me. "He's sort of like a drifter. He kind of just ghosts through, makes a scene, and then disappears entirely."

"He's kind of greedy and cowardly too," Link added, "but he usually comes through in the end."

My mother smiled, moving to stand next to the brothers and pat their shoulders. "He sounds like a typical teen, assuming that you three are the equivalent to teenagers." Link's and Dark's faces were masked with confusion. At their expressions, my mother elaborated. "He's trying to find himself. Everyone goes through this."

"If only father could have found himself as less of a psycho maniac," Dark grumbled.

Link's ears perked up at the mention of his father. His eyes became steely as he gazed at his brother, a serious expression on his face. "Father? Why bring up father now?"

A long, drawn out sigh escaped the darker sibling. "That's why we're here. About a day ago, father showed up at the cove."

"What's the cove?" I questioned.

"It's a tightknit supernatural community where we had all moved to," Link answered immediately. He turned back to his brother. "How did he even discover the cove? Only a select few have even heard of it, let alone actually seen it."

Kalil shook her head. "We don't know. He suddenly showed up out of nowhere… Link everyone is dead. He killed all of them."

"Father works fast."

"What do you mean?" Dark asked. "Has he been here?"

With a sideways glance, Link gave a small nod to his brother. "Shad," he began without turning to the butler's direction. "Take Dark's and Kalil's bags to a spare bedroom."

Shad bowed. "Yes, sir."

"Come with me, Dark. Let's finish this conversation in my office." The two siblings walked off, leaving us women alone.

I stared after the boys, wondering if Link would disclose everything that had happened in the last few days to his brother. I almost hoped he wouldn't. No one that didn't have to be involved in my problems should be. But it looked like I had no choice.

The sounds of rifling and anger filled groans caught my attention. Kalil was digging through her messenger bag rather ferociously. Her faced was practically buried in the bag as she sniffed through the contents. With a furious hiss, the neko threw down her bag and began searching through her tote next.

"Uh, are you okay, Kalil?" I asked hesitantly.

"Where is it?" she snarled, completely ignoring me.

Mom walked up to the angry panther, placing a gentle hand on her back. "What are you looking for, dear?" she asked in her best "mother voice."

Kalil huffed, slumping into herself. "My catnip," she answered dejectedly. "All of this is far to stressing for my fragile nerves."

I couldn't stop the words that came out of my mouth next. "Catnip? Is that like drugs to you?" The attempted swipe at my face argued otherwise.

* * *

**FUNFACT: Did you guys know that when the first 3-D Link was designed (the one from Ocarina of Time) his sword was originally designed to be on his belt at his hip? The reason why it's on his back his because of polygonal phasing issues. In short, when Link would walk by walls, trees, objects, etc… his sword would phase through them. Nintendo moved his sword to his back to minimalize the issue and it just kind of stuck.**

**The chapter was short, I know, but I'm only running on creative fumes right now. I need support… and reviews.**

**Which reminds me, thank you to all those who did review. And please check out my friend K-ger's story, The Legend of Verity. It's super good and she's not getting the praise she deserves.**

**Please rate and review. **


	8. Chapter 8

**Time for another chapter. **

**We'll have to see how this chapter goes. I know where I'm going with the story, it's just that getting there is a problem.**

**I do not own Zelda.**

* * *

I hadn't seen hide nor hair of Link and Dark. It was like they had completely vanished, but I could still hear them behind Link's office door. They had been in there for nearly two days, Shad the only one having seen them when bringing them their "meals," discussing the problem concerning their father. I wondered what exactly they were talking about, but I didn't dare eavesdrop on them… not after Link told me that he knew I had been listening in last time.

Crutching through the manor, I attempted to keep my mind off the brothers by looking for anything to do. Mom didn't want me going to school while there was a psycho maniac loose, so that was out of the question. Speaking of mom, she was currently helping Shad in the kitchen. Mason was at work, and I had no idea where Kalil was. I was all alone, left to my own devices.

Boy, I was bored.

I had been wandering the manor for over thirty minutes now, looking for something to do, and my arms were getting tired. I was thankful that I was able to put some pressure on my injured leg, or else this would be impossible. It wouldn't be long until I'd be able to put my full weight on it, thank goodness.

The marks on my arm suddenly heated up and ghostly laughter met my ears. Both the Poe sisters and Flat and Sharp appeared before me. I jumped in surprise as Meg spun around me, cackling. "What do you guys want?" I asked them. The six ghosts lined up in a row, one behind the other, and waved frantically at me. "Do you guys want me to follow you?" The nodded enthusiastically. "Okay," I said, a little skeptic. "You were helpful last time. Lead the way."

Moving around in energetic circles, the ghosts took off, leading me through the manor like willow-the-wisps. They led me from the drawing room, to the servants' quarters, and all the way out into the garden. I was brought to the very back where I came across a fence covered in vines, the iron gate rusted shut. What was beyond the gate that the ghosts deemed so important?

Propping myself up on my crutches, I gave the gate a little tug. It didn't budge. I would need two hands for this.

Testing my weight on my injured ankle, I was relieved and satisfied to find that it didn't hurt. I set my crutches against the vine covered fence before grasping the gate firmly. I shook the gate back and forth, rattling it in its hinges. After a particularly strong pull, the hinges finally gave out and the gate came free. I fell backwards, landing on my butt, the gate still in my hands.

"Well, that could have gone a lot worse," I said to the Poe siblings who had been watching me struggle. Setting the iron gate aside, I pulled myself up to my feet, reestablishing my balance on the crutches. I headed inside the once enclosed space.

Inside appeared to be a forgotten part of the garden. The trees and flowers were all dead, the grass following after them. The blades crunched under my feet as I hobbled over to the murky waters of an old pond. Algae had grown by the pounds, it seemed, and there was no telling what lay in the water's depths.

"I'd better leave well enough alone," I decided.

Slowly turning around, I spotted an old and decrepit well. The masonry was falling apart, the shingled overhead having long since rotted away, bits and pieces of it laying scattered around the base. I peered over the edge.

"It's all dried up," I observed. A smile played on my lips. "Guess it was a good thing, though. Judging from the pond, the water here would have been nasty with the lack of maintenance…" I trailed off, my mind returning to the topic on hand. "So what was it that you guys wanted me to see—"

My words caught in my throat as the feeling of pushing hands met my back and I was sent tumbling into the well. The scream on the verge of spilling out of my throat was ripped from me by the rushing wind, my stomach feeling like it was in my head at this point. Darkness surrounded me as I fell… and fell… and fell.

I fell for what seemed like forever, but I finally met the bottom, landing in an crumpled heap. How I survived, I wasn't sure, but my ankle burned like fire. Looking up at the tunnel from which I fell, I scowled. "Two-faced ghosts," I grumbled.

Attempting to stand, I finally took notice of the circle drawn around my feet. The intricate lines that had begun to fade away served as some sort of spell. I imagined that if the circle wasn't faded away, this would have been some sort of spell of suspension, but time had dampened its effectiveness. I was grateful to it, nevertheless.

"Now, to find a way out," I murmured to myself. There was a tunnel branching off from the well's main tunnel. It had to lead somewhere. I started down the tunnel, holding onto the walls for support. The further down the tunnel I went, the more it widened, almost as if it was giving way to… "A room?"

True enough, I stood in a large circular room carved out of the very ground, supported by wooden and stone columns. It was as easily as large as the ballroom in the manor, and it was stuffed to the brim with books, a large mahogany desk sitting in the center of the room. I gaped in awe, wondering how no one could have discovered this before.

Finding an old candle on the desk, I searched the drawers for a match to light it with. When I found one at last, I went on to lighting the candle, the dim lighting only casting a glow far enough to see directly in front of me. Luckily, the previous owner of this room—assumingly one of the Poe's—was smart enough to line the walls with candles. I set off to lighting each one, ignoring the flaring pain in my ankle.

Once the room was finally lit, I was amazed to see more books than I initially thought there were. Everywhere I turned, more books seemed to appear out of nowhere. It became obvious that this used to be a secret study… and I soon found out why it had been kept secret. Reading one of the titles on the spines of the book, I blanched. It was a record of all the scandals of the kingdom. The more covers I looked at, the more surprised I became. All of these were records on one thing or another: malicious plots, true heirs to the throne, secrets behind wars, conspiracies, and even reports of torturous methods employed in the kingdom as well as use of dark arts.

"If a government official found this place, they would have a field day," I said to myself. A sudden thought occurred to me. Could there be any records of previous people claiming to be a Priest or Priestess of Light and Shadow? If there was, those would be consequential in learning more about myself.

However, that would have to wait. I needed to get out of here first to let the others know of my discovery. And as there were no other tunnels to possibly lead me out; I would need to go back.

* * *

I stared up into the well's tube, wondering how I would get out. I couldn't very well climb my way up. Even if I wasn't injured, there was no telling if the masonry would hold up. And the last thing I really wanted to do was accidentally close off my only source of ventilation.

As I mulled over the possible solutions to my predicament, the sound of someone calling my name drew my attention. "Xenia! Where are you?!"

My eyes widened as I recognized my mother's voice. "Mom! Mom!" I shouted up the tube in return.

"Xenia?!"

"Mom! I'm in the well!"

Pounding footsteps carried down the well shaft, and I was met with the face of my mother peering down at me, the sunlight behind her giving her an angelic appearance, though I could just barely make out the features of her face… if I squinted.

"Xenia Seraph, how in the name of Hylia did you end up down there?!" my mother shouted at me.

I shook my head. "Long story, I just need to get out."

Mother looked over her shoulders, probably looking for anything she could use to pull me out. "Wait there!" she ordered. "I'll go get the boys!" And with that, she scurried off.

I sat down on the cold floor in a slump. My arm supported on my knee, I rested my head in my hands, grumbling. "It's not like I could go anywhere anyway."

More footsteps…

Standing back up, I suddenly drew back in surprise at the unexpected appearance of Link leaping down the well shaft. "Oh, my Goddesses! Are you trying to give me a hard attack?!"

Link's hair fanned out around his face as he stood up from his crouched position, throwing a smirk my way. "Is this going to become a habit of yours?" At my questioning gaze, he continued. "Ending up in these types of situations?"

Turning away, I crossed my arms over my chest and pursed my lips. "Of course. Would you expect any less of me?"

Link chuckled. "No. That would be asking too much of this vampire."

"What?"

"Expecting more of you?"

I gaped in annoyance, perturbed my Link's teasing attitude. "Hmph!" I grunted. "Well, then. I guess you didn't expect me to find a hidden chamber at the end of the tunnel."

It was Link's turn to utter an incredulous "what." He looked off down the tunnel I had spent the majority of my day in and hummed. "Is that where that light is coming from?" he asked. "A secret room?"

Nodding, I pulled on the vampire's hand. "And you won't believe what's in there. Come on." Pulling the vampire along, I brought him to the secret study and watched his face for a reaction. The only thing he gave off was a simple curiosity.

"It was here all this time," he murmured. "I don't believe it. I've been looking in the wrong place all along."

I cocked my head in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Link stared at me, a serious expression on his face. "Countless documents from Hyrule's archives went missing a long time ago. And there was rumored to be an extra room in the manor that didn't appear on the blueprints. I put two and two together and made an educated guess that the missing documents would be in the manor, but I never imagined they would be down a well. It makes me wonder what the Poe Siblings were looking for when they stole these."

"Are you going to look through all these texts?" I wondered.

My vampire friend nodded. "Every single one of them. To know what goes on in the background gives you an advantage over anyone."

"Do you think anything about my power will be here?"

Link's breath hitched and he turned to me with wide eyes. "I never even considered… there must be now that you say it!"

I had made up my mind. "Then let me help search these. If I can find anything on my power and how to get rid of it, I'll be all too happy to help comb through these."

Link smiled. "All right," he said. "Looks like we have a plan of some sort. If we can get rid of the power entirely, then father had nothing to gain at all."

A smile stretched across my face at out cleverness. We wouldn't let Drake get his hands on this power. No one deserved the power to control both shadow and light. A sudden thought crossed my mind. What would we do if there was nothing here to help us.

"Well, if we come up empty here, I can always conceive an heir and hide them," I said softly, only half joking.

My shoulders were suddenly clasped and I was spun around to face Link. A look of anger marred his handsome face, and I felt my own face heat up from our sudden closeness. We were mere inches apart from each other, and despite the fact that Link was furious at this point, our proximity was all I could focus on.

My eyes watched Link's lips as they stretched when he clenched his teeth. I suddenly found myself wanting to rub my fingers across them to sooth the delicate as he irritated it with his teeth. I was drawn to his those very same teeth next. Link's fangs were long and, of course, pointed. There was no doubt in my mind that these deadly weapons could easily rip my throat out, and yet… I wanted to know what they would feel like. Were they solid, or were they hollow like a snake's? What would they feel like… if I were to be bitten with them?

Alarmed at my train of thought, I barely recognized that the very same mouth I had been so fixated on were forming words of anger. It didn't matter, though. I could not hear them with all the ringing in my head. My eyes moved frantically until they locked with Link's. Their cerulean depths swirled with molten silver and they glared at me most angrily, pupils now slits. Why did they look so angry with me?

"Are you even listening to me, Xenia?" Link's voice broke through the fog of my mind.

"No," I answered bluntly, not really sure of what I was saying or answering to.

Link sighed. "Just… just don't give yourself away so easily. Having a child, especially with the wrong person, is no laughing matter…" Breaking our staring contest, Link glanced off down the tunnel again. "Come on, let's get you out of here. These books can wait."

I let myself be whisked away by the vampire, my mind whirling with only one thought. _What just happened?_

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**A long overdue chapter done. I'm actually pretty satisfied with it. Things are finally starting to fall into place.**

**Please, rate and review!**


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